Сhaptеr 9: Littlе Unсlе Is Finаlly Saved!
“Yеstеrday еvening, I was оriginаllу hаving а mеal with Хing Shао in Rоom Thrеe of Chaling Rеstаurant. Unехресtedlу, Lu Yuаn sоmehow gоt wind оf the nеws and found out I wаs therе.”
“He bargеd in with the wаiter Меng Tian. Lu Yuаn was heavilу drunk аt thе timе and startеd hurling insults аt mе аs soon аs he sаw me.”
“Xing Shаo cоuldn’t stand it and сouldn’t help but mосk him. Lu Yuаn flew intо а rage, grabbеd a vаsе nearbу, and smashеd it direсtlу оnto Хing Shao’s hеad, killing him on thе sроt…”
“With a life lost, the restaurant ownеr quiсkly reportеd it tо the authoritiеs. Вut who would have thought that Lu Yuan and Meng Tian had conspired to pin all the blame on me.”
“And at that time, there were only the four of us in the room. Xing Shao was killed by them, and Lu Yuan and Meng Tian colluded, so I became the so-called murderer…”
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan instantly flew into a rage, veins bulging on his neck, and directly interrupted Lou Changqing’s words.
“You’re lying! You made all of this up! You have no evidence!”
After saying that, he lunged at Lou Changqing, wanting to strangle him.
“Restrain him!” Shangguan Lin shouted angrily.
The guards nearby reacted swiftly, quickly pinning Lu Yuan to the ground, rendering him unable to resist.
[Lu Yuan is really so foolish. Getting so worked up like this immediately exposes everything. I don’t know how Marquis Zhenbei could have such a stupid son.]
[Now it seems the key to the case still lies with Meng Tian. If he can tell the truth, Little Uncle can be cleared.]
Shangguan Lin nodded.
As expected of his daughter, thinking exactly the same as him.
Shangguan Lin paid no further attention to the madman-like Lu Yuan and instead turned his gaze to Meng Tian, who had remained silent all along.
“Meng Tian, you are the sole eyewitness in this case. Tell us, what did you see at the time?”
Upon hearing this, Meng Tian immediately trembled all over with nervousness.
He still wasn’t quite sure: was the Emperor on Marquis Zhenbei’s side, or did he truly want to uncover the truth?
If he told the truth, Marquis Zhenbei probably wouldn’t let him off…
Shangguan Lin looked at Meng Tian, who was kneeling on the ground and saying nothing, his voice icy cold.
“Meng Tian, you must know that deceiving the Emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of one’s entire clan.”
“Speak truthfully. With me here, who dares to touch you?!”
Upon hearing this, Meng Tian’s heart shook. As if throwing caution to the wind, he pointed at Lu Yuan and shouted loudly.
“Xing Shao was killed by Lu Yuan! It was Lu Yuan! And it was also Lu Yuan who made me lie and pin everything on Lou Changqing! To make Lou Changqing bear this crime!”
“Please, Your Majesty, see clearly! It was all Lu Yuan who ordered this humble one to do it!”
“You’re lying! You’re framing me!”
Pinned to the ground by the guards, Lu Yuan still hoarsely refuted.
Meng Tian also grew anxious. “Your Majesty, this humble one has evidence!”
“Last night, Lu Yuan gave me two gold ingots, telling me to handle things properly for him. The gold is still on my person!”
“If it wasn’t given by Lu Yuan, how could someone like me get so much gold?!”
As he spoke, Meng Tian pulled two gold ingots from his sleeve.
The gleaming gold appeared in everyone’s sight, startling them all.
Lu Yuan even stopped struggling.
Shangguan Lin’s gaze swept toward Lu Yuan as he angrily shouted, “The evidence is conclusive! Both witness and material evidence are present! What more do you have to say?!”
“Hurry and untie Lou Changqing, then bind the murderer Lu Yuan!”
[Dad is wise and mighty! He directly interrogated and uncovered the real culprit!]【Little Uncle is finally saved! How wonderful!】
However, as Shangguan Sui’s gaze fell upon the gold on the ground, her smile faded, and she let out two dissatisfied huffs.
【This Lu Yuan is surprisingly wealthy—he can casually give away two gold ingots as a reward, while I don’t even have a single gold ingot to my name yet!】
【Unhappy! Very unhappy!】
Hearing this, Shangguan Lin couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Later, he would go to the national treasury and find some good things to give to Suisui.
No matter who suffered, his Suisui must not be deprived.
Lou Changqing, who also heard the inner thoughts, fell into deep contemplation.
Once he returned home, he would take out all his private savings.
He would have someone deliver them to the palace, all for Suisui.
Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, the prefect immediately rolled off his chair, knelt before Shangguan Lin and Shangguan Sui, and began kowtowing frantically.
“It is all this humble official’s fault. I failed to recognize the truth, mistakenly trusted Lu Yuan, and wronged Lou Changqing. I beg the Emperor to punish me.”
【Ugh! It was clearly you and Lu Yuan who conspired to frame my little uncle together, and now you’re acting as if you’re the victim too. It’s like tearing the skin off your left cheek and sticking it on your right cheek—one side shameless, the other utterly brazen!】
【Disgusting! Disgusting! So disgusting!】
Shangguan Lin suppressed a laugh and gently patted Shangguan Sui, who was still muttering nonstop.
Suisui was truly too adorable.
Even with her throat in such a state, she kept on talking.
At this rate, he wondered when Suisui’s throat would ever recover.
“Your Majesty, the truth is not as the prefect claims!”
Lou Changqing, now untied, clasped his hands and spoke in a clear, resonant voice.
Shangguan Lin’s brows twitched slightly. “Speak.”
【Yay! Little Uncle is about to reveal the truth~】
【Little Uncle is so handsome! I really like Little Uncle!】
Hearing Shangguan Sui’s praise, Lou Changqing forcefully suppressed the corners of his mouth and spoke as if nothing had happened.
“The prefect was not entirely unaware. This matter was a joint scheme between the prefect and Lu Yuan. Earlier in the hall, the prefect ignored my defense and directly pronounced me guilty. The bailiffs present can all testify to this!”
After hearing Shangguan Sui’s inner thoughts, Shangguan Lin was already fully convinced of Lou Changqing’s words.
Nevertheless, he pretended to glance around at the surrounding bailiffs.
His voice was deep and authoritative. “Is this true?”
The bailiffs hurriedly knelt and nodded. One of them boldly spoke up.
“Your Majesty, it is true. The prefect said not to bother with Lou Changqing—just convict him directly when the time came. If anything went wrong, Marquis Zhenbei would handle it for him…”
Shangguan Lin let out a cold laugh.
“I was unaware that the capital was already under Marquis Zhenbei’s control.”
At these words, the prefect and Lu Yuan immediately broke into a cold sweat.
Lou Changqing, however, now fully understood the Emperor’s intention.
The Emperor no longer trusted Marquis Zhenbei as he once had…
Lou Changqing bowed and knelt before Shangguan Lin.
He spoke the words that had long been buried in his heart.
“Your Majesty, this humble official wishes to accuse Commandant Lu Yuan of treating human life as worthless—”